Categories
Calendar Picks

Howe Gelb, Jay Gonzalez


Best known for heading up the long-running desert-folk outfit Giant Sand—whose discography is as vast as a Southwestern sky—Arizona-based songwriter Howe Gelb is currently touring behind a stellar recent solo release. The Coincidentalist‘s 11 slow-burning tracks offer raw glimpses into the songwriter’s tangled psyche. Musically, the album is stripped-down, even as Gelb outings go. With the assistance of M. Ward and Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley (the latter of whom joins Gelb for his current Southeastern tour) and guest spots from likeminded troubadour Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Scottish songstress KT Tunstall, the record churns quietly underneath Gelb’s quietly arresting voice, which both probes and puzzles. The Coincidentalist commands the listener to pay attention like few albums do.

RELATED ARTICLES BY AUTHOR

  • AthFest is Canceled This Year as Coronavirus Spreads

    As the coronavirus continues to spread illness and unease throughout Georgia and the U.S., Athens suffers a significant cultural and economic blow as organizers have announced the cancellation of...
  • Five Acts to See at Ad·Verse Fest

    With an eclectic approach that mines the space between music, visual and performance art, Ad·verse Fest features an exciting, queer-centric lineup of scrappy newcomers and more road-tested acts, many...
  • Shane Parish & Sean Dail

    With the innovative North Carolina band Ahleuchatistas, guitarist Shane Parish pushed the boundaries of the early-’00s math-rock scene by incorporating international influences, as well as a healthy dose of...
  • Ruston Kelly, Valley Queen

    Specializing in a twangy, earnest brand of Americana he famously dubbed “dirt emo” in 2018, singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly made good on the term’s promise last year with the release...